If you like something…

Author Notes: I know most people think of chilly fall days when they hear pea soup. Not this version. It is decidedly a spring soup and if you can lay your hands on fresh peas in the shell all the better. Frozen peas work but it is not at all the same, in fact, if I didn't have fresh peas I would use sugar snaps or snow peas.

Note: I cook farro really simply. I put it in a pot of lightly salted water. The water covers the grains by at least three inches. I bring it to a boil, boil two minutes then turn off the heat and cover the pot. I then let the pot sit on the stove for two hours but no longer then three. I drain it and now it is al dente. A half cup of dry will make one cup or more of cooked farro. - thirschfeld

Serves 4

1/2cup pancetta, small dice

2teaspoons unsalted butter

1cup yellow onion, trimmed, peeled and small dice

4cups beef stock

1 1/2cups fresh peas

1 cup cooked farro or brown rice, see note in headnote

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

lots of fresh ground black pepper

flat leaf parsley, minced

Add the butter and the pancetta to a pan over medium heat. Render the pancetta until it just starts to get crispy while being careful not to burn the butter. You may need to reduce the heat to do this but be patient.

Add the onions, season them with salt and pepper. Now continue cooking the onions, stirring occasionally, till they are soft.

Add the broth and farro. Turn the heat up if you need to and bring the pot to a boil. Add the peas, taste the broth and season it as necessary.

Add the parsley and cook the soup until the peas are just tender. Be careful not to overcook the peas.

Wow! Never heard of cooking farro that way - I'll have to try it. I am a big fan of farro. Do you typically make your own beef stock for something like this? I usually shy away from buying it at the store, but I don't have any experience making my own at home. Thanks for sharing!

k.woody I cook almost all grains this way. Just to be clear the farro I use is call piccolo farro, there are different types and sizes, is the smallest classified as farro. I get mine from Anson Mills so if you are a fan of farro you will be a fan of it.